Ship&#39;s boat.



P. A. STOFEL.

SHIPS BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 19, 1912.

Patented Nov. .25, 1913.

I Gamma PETER A.- s'rornn, or KIRKSVIL'LE, MISSOURI.-

srnrs BOAT.-

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Application filed October 19, 1912. Serial No. 726,627.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER A. STOFEL, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Kirksville, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ships Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ships boats and it has for its objects among others to provide an improved construction whereby the boats may be readily nested, the seats being foldable and the boat provided with parts serving to strengthen the same and the device as a whole being simple, easily operated and efficient and reliable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan view of a lifeboat constructed in accordance with my invention with the parts in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the side seats folded and the cross seat removed and the brace rods in their non-operative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section showing two of the boats nested. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing one of the side seats in its operative position. Fig. 5 is a View at right angles to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan of one of the slot hinges. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view showing one of the swiveled bolts. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the cross seat. Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the different views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a ships boat which may be of any approved form of construction except as hereinafter described. It may be of any desired size and in the form herein shown it has side seats 2 conforming to the shape of the boat and hingedly supported in position so as to be folded substantially parallel with the sides of the boat, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, or to be raised into a horizontal position to support the persons within the boat, these side seats being shown in such operative position in the upper boat seen in Fig. 3. These seats may be of any approved form of construct-i011 preferably of galvanized iron.

The central hinges 3 are ordinary strap hinges while the end hinges 4 are preferably of the form seen in Fig. 6 in which is shown a slot hinge, the same being an ordinary strap hinge with the slot 5 in which works.

the bolt 6 which allows of the necessary folding movement of the ends of the seats. The side seats may further be provided with supporting legs 7, as seen in Figs. 3, 4t and 5, these supporting legs being pivotally mounted, as seen at 8, in depending flanges 9' on the free under edges of the seat. These legs are adapted to fold parallel with the seats when the latter are placed in their folded condition and to automatically drop into their supporting position, as seen in the upper boat illustrated in Fig. 3.

10 is a cross seat, of which there may be one or more, the same being" preferably formed of galvanized iron with rods 11 crimped under opposite edges thereof, as seen in Fig. 8. The side seats may be similarly constructed, if desired. The ends of the rods 11 are bent at substantially right angles to their length to form hooks 12, as seen in Fig. 8, which hooks are designed to be engaged in slots 13 in the side seats, as

seen best in Fig. 2, in which view the cross seat is removed and shown placed on the bottom of the boat.

14 are brace rods designed to strengthen the boat and brace the same fore and aft. There may be more or less of these cross rods employed, two, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being deemed suflicient. These rods are connected in any suitable way, as seen at 15, to the sides of the boat, being preferably oppositely disposed and their free ends adapted to engage in swivel hooks or eyes 16, as seen in Fig. 2, these rods lying lengthwise of the boat when not in use, as seen in Fig. 2, and

when the boat is ready for use, these rods are extended transversely, each rod being engaged with the swiveled bolt or eye in which the free end of the other cross rod is engaged when in its longitudinal position. By this means the swiveled hook which serves for the one rod when in its longitudinal positon, serves with the other rod when in its transverse position.

Ordinarily when aboard ship, the boats are nested,'as seen in Fig. 3, wherein two are shown, but it is evident that three or even more may be placed one within the other. Ordinarily, the uppermost boat is stored with its seats in positionready for use, the seats of the next lower boat being in their folded position, as seen in Fig. 3, the brace rods 14 being in their longitudinal position and the cross seat 10 removed and placed in the bottom of the boat, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. In case of emergency, the upper boat is removed and launched and thenthe next uppermost boat is gotten ready by moving the side seats into their operative position, the legs 7 automatically dropping into operative position, and then the cross seat 10 is adjusted, its hooks 12 being engaged in the slots 18 of the side seats, as seen in Fig. 1, and the cross rods removed from their longitudinal position and placed in their transverse position where they serve to materially strengthen and brace the boat.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a simple, cheap and efficient form of lifeboat in which none of the parts are detachable except the cross seat, which latter, when in position, serves to materially strengthen the boat and brace it, and while the structural embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed is what I at the present time consider preferable, it is evident that the same is subject to changes, variations and modifications in details, size and proportion of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. I, therefore, do not intend to restrict myself to the exact details of construction hereinbefore described, but reserve the right to make such changes, varitions and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What is claimed as new is 1- 1. A ships boat having hinged side seats and hinged supporting lugs therefor mounted to fold parallel with the seat, some of the seat hinges being automatically extensible.

2. A ships boat having hinged side seats, some of the hinges thereof being automatically extensible, and a cross seat detachably uniting the side seats.

3. A ships boat having hinged side seats, some of the hinges thereof being automatically extensible, and a cross seat detachably uniting the side seats, the side seats being provided with hinged automatically folding supporting legs.

4. A ships boat having permanently attached hinged side seats, some of the hinges thereof being automatically extensible, a detachable cross seat, and means for detachable connection between the side and cross seats.

5. A ships boat having hinged side seats, some of the hinges thereof being automatically extensible, a cross seat having detachable connection with the side seats, and transversely disposed brace rods.

6. A ships boat having foldable side seats, hinges connected with said seats near their centers and slot hinges for said seats near their ends, and a cross seat cooperating with said side seats.

7 A ships boat having foldable side seats, hinges connected with said seats near their centers and slot hinges for said seats near their ends, and a cross seat having hooked rods engageable in slots in the side seats.

8. A ships boat having foldable side seats, hinges connected with said seats near their centers and slot hinges for said seats near their ends, and a cross seat having hooked rods engageable in slots in the side seats, said side seats having automatically foldable supporting legs.

Signed by me at Kirksville, Mo., this 10th .day of Oct., 1912.

PETER A. STOFEL.

Witnesses:

F. L. MoRRow, OPAL M. GARDNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

